Abstract: Aim: Since long Clubfoot has been an unsolved clinical challenge for the orthopaedic surgeons. It is one of the commonest congenital deformities in children. More than 1,00,000 babies are born worldwide each year with congenital clubfoot. Around 80% of the cases occur in developing nations like India. We wish to study results and effectiveness of ponseti method in treatment of clubfoot because this method has become famous after the author reported successful correction in 85% - 90% cases without need for posteromedial release.
Materials and methods: 96 feet in 65 children were treated by ponseti method from June 2015 to June 2016 (31 of them have bilateral CTEV). A prospective follow up for mean duration of 18.6 months( range 6-24 months) was undertaken. All the patients were clinically evaluated by pirani scoring system at each visit with proper counselling of parents.
Results: The average pirani scoring was 5.3/6. The mean number of casts given before Achilles tenotomy was 6.4. 93.75% patients needed tenotomy for full correction. There were 15(15.6%) cases with residual deformity, while 7(7.29%) feet show relapse after completion of treatment. Almost all of them have non compliance for foot abduction brace.
Conclusion: The treatment of idiopathic congenital clubfoot by ponseti method is very effective and shows reproducible results. It is very cost beneficial in developing countries like India. Proper counselling and adherence to brace is highly recommended to prevent relapse.
